Safety of having grafts on gloves during implantation?

[BeardedArbor]

I've seen numerous videos from various clinics, primarily hair mills but with doctor-led offices too, where the doctors or technicians are implanting grafts that are stored on their gloves. They pick up the grafts from their gloves with forceps and then insert the grafts into the pre-made channels. 

I wanted to get some feedback on this. To me it seems like improper graft management to keep the grafts outside of the liquid solution and storing them on gloves. I would think that shortens the lives of the grafts which may contribute to some grafts not surviving and growing well, but perhaps this is indeed acceptable.

Not sure how the elite surgeons keep their grafts during implantation as I haven't been able to see many videos of their processes.

[Al - Moderator]

I think this is a common practice. The grafts aren't on their glove for long. The grafts are stored in a liquid solution (there are several types). When they are ready to implant the grafts, they take a few grafts from the holding solution and put them on their gloved hand/finger. Then they can grab a graft using the forceps in their other hand and implant it. If they take them directly from the holding solution they can be too wet to implant and they won't stay in. They will pop out. Having them on their glove for a few seconds air dries them just enough to not be too wet and slippery to implant. At least that was always my understanding, but I never actually asked about it. Anyone who has more knowledge about this can feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

 

 

[Matthias]

On 6/20/2024 at 10:07 AM, Al - Moderator said:

I think this is a common practice. The grafts aren't on their glove for long. The grafts are stored in a liquid solution (there are several types). When they are ready to implant the grafts, they take a few grafts from the holding solution and put them on their gloved hand/finger. Then they can grab a graft using the forceps in their other hand and implant it. If they take them directly from the holding solution they can be too wet to implant and they won't stay in. They will pop out. Having them on their glove for a few seconds air dries them just enough to not be too wet and slippery to implant. At least that was always my understanding, but I never actually asked about it. Anyone who has more knowledge about this can feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

 

 

Thanks for your answer. Is this also a common practice when using implanter pens?

[Al - Moderator]

Here is a short video of using an implanter pen with the grafts on the glove.